Broaden your definition of “text.” The Common Core recommends short texts that can be reread. But that doesn’t just mean short stories and poems. There are short historical documents, news articles, mathematical and scientific texts, etc. For example, you could have students read Newton’s “Axioms, or Laws of Motion” (Roberts and Billings,Teaching Critical Thinking: Using Seminars for 21st Century Literacy). You could also use photos and paintings, especially in the beginning when you’re teaching students to be detail-oriented and are engaging them in the close-reading process.
Ask text-based questions that build in a logical sequence. “Text-based questions may ask why an author uses a certain turn of phrase, why the author begins with or emphasizes a certain point, how an author illustrates or defends a point, how word choices create a particular tone or mood, which details reveal or support a theme, and so on.” (Davis, Common Core Literacy Lesson Plans: Ready-to-Use Resources, 6–8, p. 6). Make sure your questions build from part to whole.
Consider what standards you can cover in your close-reading lessons. For example, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.11-12.4 has students “analyze how an author uses and refines the meaning of a key term or terms over the course of a text.” If you are teaching FDR’s Four Freedoms speech, you can have students read the text a few times; during one of their reads, they should analyze and compare FDR’s use of “freedom” in different sentences.
Teach text structures. Close reading isn’t just about the words on the page; it's also about how the words are organized and what features are included.
Don’t forget the fun! Use an engaging activity to teach close reading. For example, have students analyze an e-mail from a friend and pay attention to word choice, tone, and structure. You could make up a silly (or angsty) e-mail as an example. Then students could transfer those skills to a complex text. Also, don’t forget that not every text needs to be read using close-reading techniques. Allow students to read some books just for fun (woah!) to promote a love of reading.
5 Things to Watch Out For:
Stay away from general before-, during-, and after-reading strategy instruction.Years ago, I learned that you could teach a strategy like cause and effect (before reading), and have students read looking for cause and effect (during reading), and then have students reflect on cause and effect (after reading). However, the Common Core warns against that approach. We “should not over rely on ‘cookie-cutter’ questions that could be asked of any text, such as ‘What is the main idea? Provide three supporting details’” (Coleman and Pimentel, pp. 6–7). Too much of the text gets lost if students focus on only one thing.
Try not to go overboard with prereading activities. Prereading can help struggling and reluctant readers. However, if done too much, it “gives away” the text and doesn’t allow students to make key discoveries. Shanahan explains how to strike the right balance.
Don’t race to the top of Bloom’s taxonomy. Yes, we need to help students get to the higher levels of Bloom’s, but as Shanahan points out, it’s okay to start with the “right there” questions. Don’t jump to have students synthesize the ideas from two texts before they’ve understood the details of each text. Start close and then zoom out.
Don’t spend too much time on esoteric vocabulary. Students should pay attention to all of the author’s word choices, but you don’t need to make a whole vocabulary lesson out of the random, rarely-used words. Spend more time on the useful academic words.
Avoid being too rigid about close reading. Not every text needs to be read three times with a highlighter in hand, circling adjectives. Some texts can be read and reread as a group, some can be read and reread independently, and some can be read both ways. Every text is different. Change is good. And you know your students the best!
Close Reading and Common Core
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5 Tips for Teaching Close Reading
Broaden your definition of “text.” The Common Core recommends short texts that can be reread. But that doesn’t just mean short stories and poems. There are short historical documents, news articles, mathematical and scientific texts, etc. For example, you could have students read Newton’s “Axioms, or Laws of Motion” (Roberts and Billings,Teaching Critical Thinking: Using Seminars for 21st Century Literacy). You could also use photos and paintings, especially in the beginning when you’re teaching students to be detail-oriented and are engaging them in the close-reading process.
5 Things to Watch Out For: